Rail anchor



?atented Dec.. 2l, 192%.

HARVEY IVI. GLLESPE, OF CHC'G, ILLNS, AESWYNE ll-0 THE T? @s 1L COMPANY, GF CHICAGO, ELLINOS, il CORPORATGN 0F ILEJINOS.

RATL ANCHOR.

Application filed November My invention relates to rail anchors of the general type adapted to engage the base flanges of a rail at opposite sides of the rail.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved anchor of the above general type, which may be driven into firm wedging engagement with one iiange of the rail base, and which is provided with a jaw portion so formed as to provide a resilient gripping engagement with the other flange of the rail base, so as to hold the device against reverse movement and thereby prevent accidental loosening of thev said wedging engagement.

Another object is to provide an improved one-piece anchor device provided with a jaw adapted to be driven into firm wedging engagement with one flange of the rail base,

l and provided. `with a portion which is torsioned during its application to a rail to effect a spring grip of the d-evice on the rail base so as to holdL the device in operative position thereon, the device being so formed as to be moved bodily, transversely of the rail to its operative grippingposition. Y

The invention has for further objects the novel arrangement, construction and comination of the various elements of thc anchor device hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects, and suoli other objects as may appear from the following description.

ln the drawing:

lig. 1 is a plan view of the base portion of a railroad rail showing an anchor device constructed in accordance with my invention applied thereto, in its operative position. i

F ig. 2 is an end elevation showing the' anchor device in its applied position, and showing` in dotted lines the position of the anchor before it is moved, and consequently subjected to torsional strain, to the posi-tion shown in full lines.

Fig. 3 is a side view-of the anchor device showing the manner in which it is applied to the rail, the anchor being shown in the position which it assumes after it is twisted to a position perpendicular to the rail base, but before it isdriven transversely of the rail to its applied position.

Fig. e is a view .similar to Fig. 3 showing l2, 1825. Serial No. 68,590.

the anchor after it has been driven transversely of the rail to its rail-gripping position, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the improved anchor shown in the preceding figures. j

Referring 'to the dra-wing, 1() designates a railroad'rail and 11 and 12 the base flanges of the rail supported on a cross tie 13.

rlhe embodiment of my invention shown in the drawing consists preferably of a yoke 1e, the upper portion of which is cut away to provide a rail base receiving recess 15,

and to provide jaws 16 and 17 which engage the inclined top faces of the base flanges the rail at opposite sides recess is made l rger than railbase, so as to permit the yoke to be i hooked over the rail base at any desired` of the rail. The the width of the versely of the rail base, hooked over one flange of upon the end of the jaw m may be readily said base, whereay then be forced down against the top surface of the bli@ flange 11 of the rail by a tiltincmovement of the yoke in the opposite directioin.

rllhe aw i7 preferably entends in the plane of the body and the lower edge 19 thereof inclined upwardly to correspond to the inclination of the top surface of the rail base.

The portion of the recess 15 below the jaw l? is of euch size that the lower edge of the jaw 17 and the edge 20 of the yoke are forced into firm w'edging engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base respectively, when the anchor is driven to its applied position.

The anchor is made preferably of ilat steel of any suitable degree of resiliency and the body portion is given a no rmal torsional set intermediate the jaws, so that it is neces ary to twist the yoke in a direction tending to straighten ont the torsional the end edge of the rail base.

set, when moving 2l of the anchor to a position which will permit the jaw 17 to pi iss over the upper rib lill) CTI In application of the device to a rail, the yoke is tilted so as to permit the jaw 16 to ,be hooked over oneflange of the rail base,

for example, flange 11. rlhe end 21 of the anchor may then be raised to a position opposite the flange 12 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing. i suitable wrench may then be applied to the end Q1 of the anchor and the anchor twisted in a direction tending to straighten out the torsional set. This tensioning of the anchor forces the end of 16 into a firm spring gripping engagement with the top face of base flange 11. Then the end 21 is in a position substantially perpendicular to the bottoni surface of the rail base, the anchor may be driven transversely of the rail from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the applied position shown in Fig. Ll. ln the latter position the jaw 17 and the lower edge of the recess l5 have a tight wedging engagement with the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base. Vhen the anchor is driven from the position of Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. et, the angular jaw 16 rides down the inclined surface of the base flange 11 and thereby partially relieves the tension of the yoke. The remaining tension of the yoke, however, will be suf'- ficient to maintain a firm grip of aw 16 on the rail and thereby prevent the anchor moving in a direction to loosen the grip'of the jaw 17 Any movement of the anchor relative to the rail toward the left of is. resisted by reason of the fact that such movement tends to force the jaw 16 upon the inclined surface of the rail base so as to increase the torsion of the yoke.

The anchor, if desired, may be applied to the rail a short distance away from cross tie and be then driven longitudinally of the rail so as to bear flatwise against the tie at right angles to the leng h of the rail. Willen the anchor is applied in this manner, it is preferably driven longitudinally of the rail so as to bear against the tie before the jaw 17 is driven home, this jaw being driven to its final position after the anchor in engagement with the tie.

The wedging grip of the jaw 17 will ordinarily be sufficient to resist the normal creeping pressure of the rail. lt will be observed, however, that in addition to the wedge grip of jaw 1'1"' any pressure of the anchor against the tie tending to tilt the anchor, will increase the grip of the device by effecting a. shackle grip o the jaw 17 and the body of the anchor upon the top and bottom surfaces of the rail. lt will also be observed that when the anchor is applied to the rail with the angular aw 16 extending toward the tie, any tendency of the anchor to tilt under the creeping pressure of the rail will increase the torsional strain of the anchor and thereby increase the grip of jaw 16 on the rail.

lt will be seen from an inspection of the drawing that the jaw portion 16 of the anchor may be applied to either base flange of the rail. Then it is applied to the edge of flange 1;, the said jaw will extend longitudinally of the rail in a direct-ion away from the tic` Tffith such arrangement the tendency which the anchor has to return to the position from which it was twisted tends to ef feet ashackle grip of the jaw 17 and the body of the anchor upon the top and bottoni surfaces oil" the rail base. 1t will also be observed that, with the anchor applied in manner, any shackle grip of jaw 17, effooted by reason of the resiliency of the metal, will be increased under the influence of the creeping pressure of' the rail, and that auch increased grip will be effected without increasing the spring g i p of jaw 16.

lllhile I have described my invention in connectionV with one specific embodiment, it will be obvious that the features of construction may be varied without departure from my invention. lt will .therefore be understood that l contemplate all such modified constructions as come within the scope of the appended claims.

l Claim: i

1. i rail anchor comprising a yoke formed at one end with a j aw adapted to be hooked over one flange of a. rail base and at the other end with a jaw adapted to be moved into gripping engagement with the top and bottom of the base flange the opposite side of the rail bv movement of the anchor trans versely of the rail; the said jaws being so disposed with relation to each other that it is necessary in applying the jaw last to engage the rail to subject the anchor to a torsional strain.

2. fr rail anchor comprising a yoke formed at one end with a jaw adapted to be hooked over one flange of a rail base and at the other end with a aw adapt-ed to be engaged with the top and bottom surfaces of the other flange of the base near the edge thereof by movement of the anchor transversely of the rail; the first mentioned jaw being bent at an angle to the body of the anchor whereby it is necessary in applying the jaw last to engage the rail to subject the anchor to a torsional strain.

A rail anchor adapted to be driven transversely of a rail to its applied position comprising a yoke formed at one end with a jaw adapted to be hooked over one flange of a rail base and at the other end with a iaw disposed at an angle with relation to the first mentioned aw whereby it is neces-- sary to torsion the anchor to move said sccond mentioned jaw into a position to hook over the other rail base flange.

a. A rail anchor comprising a yoke provided with adapted to be moved int-o operative gripping engagement with the base flanges of a rail atopposite sides of the rail `by movement of the anchor transversely of the rail; the said jaws being so disposed with relation to each other that it is necessary to torsion the anchor during its application to a rail, .said torsion being partially relieved by movement of the aw last to engage the rail into normal gripping engagement.

5. A rail anchor comprising a yoke provided with jaws adapted to be moved into operative gripping engagement with the base flanges of a rail at opposite sides of the rail by movement of the anchor transversely of the railgthe said jaws being` so disposed with relation to each other that it is necessary to torsion the anchor during its application to a rail, whereby one of said jaws is forced into spring gripping engagement with the rail `base and wherebyy said spring grip is partially relieved by movement of the anchor to its normal operative position.

6. A rail anchor comprising a yoke provided with jaws adapted to be moved into operative gripping engagement with' the base flange of a rail at opposite sides ofy the rail by movement of the anchor transversely of the rail; the said jaws being so disposed with relation to each other that it is necessary to torsion the anchor during its application to a rail and whereby maximum torsion is normally effected before the jaw last to engage the rail is moved into engagement with the rail base.

7. A rail anchor comprising a yoke formed at its ends with jaw portions for engaging the flanges of a rail base at opposite sides of the rail, one of' said jaws being formed to provide clearance to permit the other jaw to be moved into preliniiinary position at the opposite side of the rail, the arrangement of said jaws being such that the yoke is torsioned and the first mentioned jaw forced into spring .gripping engagement with the rail base by movement of the second mentioned jaw from said preliminary posit-ion to a substantially vertical position so that a forcible transverse movement of the anchor from the last mentioned position to its operative position partially relieves said torsion and causes the second mentioned jaw to have a strong wedging engagement with the rail.

8. A rail anchor comj'irisinga yoke formed with jaws for engaging the flanges of a rail base at opposite sides of the rail, one of said jaws being bent at an angle to the body to provide clearance to permit the other jaw to clear the opposite edge of the rail base, the arrangement of said jaws being such that the movement of the last mentioned jaw into position to engage the rail base torsions the anchor so as to force the first mentioned jaw into spring gripping contact'with the top of the rail base and whereby transverse mov-ement of the anchor forces the second mentioned jaw into wedging engagement with the rail base.

9. A rail anchor comprising a yoke formed with jaws for engaging the flanges of a rail base at opposite sides of the rail, one of said jaws being bent at an angle to the body to provide clearance to permit the other jaw to clear the opposite edge of' the rail base, the body portion of the anchor being provided with a normal torsional set whereby movement of the last mention-ed jaw into position to engage the rail base torsions the anchor so as to force the first mentioned jaw into spring gripping contact with the top of the rail base and the'arrangement of said jaws being such whereby the transverse movement of the anchor forces the second mentioned jaw into wedging engagement with the rail base. v

10. A rail anchor comprising a yoke formed with jaws for engaging the flanges or" arail base at opposite sides of` the rail, one of said jaws being formed to provide clearance to permit the other jaw to clear the opposite edge of the rail base, the body portion of the anchor being provided with a normal torsional set whereby movement of th-e last mentioned jaw into position to engage the rail base torsions the anchor so as to torce the first mentioned jaw into spring gripping contact with the top of the rail base and the arrangement of said jaws being suoli whereby transverse movement of the anchor forces the second mentioned jaw into wedging engagement with the rail base and partially relievesl the torsion to which said yoke has been subjected.

ll. A rail anchor adapted to be driven transversely of the rail to its applied position comprising a yoke member formed at one end with a jaw portion for gripping the top and bottom surfaces of t-he rail base at opposite one side of the rail, and formed at the other end with an angularly disposed jaw adapted to bear with spring pressure upon the top surface of the rail base, said angular jaw being so disposed with relation to the first mentioned jaw as to effect a torsioning of the plied to a rail.

l2. A rail anchor adapted to be driven transversely of the rail to its applied position,y comprising a yoke member formed with a jaw portion for gripping the top and bottom surfaces of' the rail base at one side of the rail, and formed at the other end with a jaw adapted to bear with spring pressure upon the top surface of the rail base, one of said jaws being so disposed with relation to the other as to effect a torsioning of the yoke when the anchor is applied to a rail.

13. A rail anchor comprising a yoke provided with jaws adapted to be moved into gripping engagement with the base flanges yoke when the anchor is apsaid torsion is increased by movement oft tl ot a rail at opposite sides of the rail by movement ot' the yoke transversely of the rail; the said jaws being disposed with relation to each other, whereby the yoke is torsioned when in its applied position and whereby said torsion. is increased by moven ment of the anchor in the direction to remove it from the rail.

11i. il rail anchor comprising a yoke provided with means tor bearing against the bottom surface of a rail base and provided with jaws tor engajjring the top surfaces ofV said base at opposite sides ot'the rail; th said jaws being disposed `with relation t each other whereby the yoke is torsione when in its applied pol non and .vhereb anchor in direction to remove it from the rail.

15. fr rail anchor adapted to be driven Y transversely olf. the rail .to its applied posi tionD comprising a yoke member formed with a jaw portion for gripping the top and bottom surfaces oil the rail base at one side or the rail, and formed with a jaw adapted to boar with spring pressure upon 'the top sur tace of the rail base at the other sine ot the rail; the said aws being disposed with relation to each other whereby the yoke member is torsioned when the'anchor is in its applied position and whereby7 said torsion increased by'inoveinent of the yoke in a direction to remove it from therail.

16. A rail anchor adapted to be driven transversely oi' the rail to its applied position7 comprising a yoke member formed vith a aw portion 'for gripping the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base at one side of the raila and formed at the other end vit-h a jaw adapted to bear with spring pressure upon the top surface ot the rail base; said jaws being so disposed with relation to each other as to effect the torsioning of the yoke Awhen the anchor is in its applied position whereby the torsional stress ot' the yoke is exerted through said first mentioned jaw to eiiect a shackle grip on the top and bottoni surfaces ot' the rail base.

17. A rail anchor consisting oil a bar of spring metal formed to provide rail base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking one end ot' the anchor over one edge ot a rail base the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely ot the rail to engage the other edge or the rail base.

18. il rail anchor consisting ot' a bar oi spring metal relatively thin with respect to the vertical dimension when applied to a rail 'formed to provide rail-base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking one end ot the anchor over one edge ot the rail. base the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely olf the rail to engage the other edge et the rail base.

19. il rail anchor consisting ot a bar of spring metal relatively thin 'with respect to its vertical dimension when applied' to a rail and adapted to lie substantially tlatwise against one :tace of a cross tie and formed to provide rail base engaging jaws arranged twisted in a direction to straighten out said torsional set and moved transversely of the ra il to engage the other edge of the rail base.

21. il anchor consisting of a bar ot spring metal formed with jaw portions tor engaging` the -fe and arranged so that atter hooking one end oit the anchor over one edge of the rail the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely ot the rail to engage trie other ed je ot the rail base.

il rail anchor consisting oil a. bar oi spring metal adapted to lie substantially {iat-wise against one i'ace ot the cross tie and formed to provide rail base engaging jaws arranged so that att-er hooking one end of the anchor over one edge of a rail base the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely of the rail to engage the other edge of the rail base.

23. A rail anchor consisting ot a bar oi' spring metal which is relatively thin with respect to its vertical dimensions when applied to a rail and formed with a torsional set and with rail-base engaging jaws ar ranged so that after hooking one endv over one edge o' the rail base the bar has to be twisted in a direction to straighten out said torsional set and moved transversely ot' the rail to engage the other edge of the rail base.

L rail anchor consisting ot a bar of spring metal adapted to lie substantially fiat-wise against one tace ot a cross tie and formed with a torsional set and with rail base engaging jaws arranged so that after hooking one end over one edge ot the rail base the bar has to be twisted in a direction to straighten out said torsional set and nioved transversely olf the rail to engage the other edge ot the rail base.

25. i rail anchor consisting of a barot spring metal provided with jaw portions for engaging the upper and lower laces ot a rail base and adapted to lie substantially flatwise against one iace ot' the cross tie; the said jaws 'being arranged with relation to each other so that after hooking one end ot' the anchor over one edge ot a rail base the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely of the rail to engage the other edge oll the rail base.

upper and lower faces of a rail 26. A rail anchor consisting of a bar of spring metal relatively thin with respect to its vertical dimension when applied to a rail, provided with jaw portions for engaging the upper and lower surfaces ot a rail base arranged so that ai'ter hooking one end of the anchor over one edge of a rail base, the bar has to be twisted and moved transversely of the ail to engage the other edge of the rail base.

27. A rail anchor adapted to be moved bodily relative to the rail to its rail gripping position comprising 'a yoke member, the body portion or which is formed with a substantially straight upper edge adapted to bear against the bottom surface of the rail base, and provided at opposite ends with jaw portions adapted to iit over opposite iongitudinal edges of said rail base and bear upon the top surface of said base.

E28. A rail anchor adapted to be moved bodily relative to the rail to its rail gripping position comprising a yoke member, the body portion or' which is vformed with a substantially straight upper edge adapted to bear against the bottom surface of a rail, and provided at opposite ends with long and short jaw portions adapted to iit over opposite longitudinal edges of said rail base, and bear against the top surface thereof.

29. A rail anchor adapted to be driven transversely of the rail to its applied position, comprising a yoke member, the body portion ot which is formed with a substantially straight upper edge adapted to bear against the bottom surface of a rail base, and provided at opposite ends with jaws disposed at an angle with relation yto each other and adapted to lit over opposite longitudinal edges oir' the rail base and bear against the top surfaces thereof.

30. A rail anchor comprising a yoke member recessed to provide at one end a relatively long jaw adapted to be hooked over one edge of a rail base, and at the other end with a relatively short jaw adapted to be iorcedinto gripping engagement with said base by movemento the yoke transversely of the rail; the portion of the recess underlying said short j aw being of such width as to provide a wedging grip of said jaw upon the rail base.

3l. A rail anchor comprising a yoke recessed to provide at one end a relatively long jaw adapted to be hooked over one edge oit the rail base and at the other end with a relatively short jaw adapted to be forced into gripping engagement with said base by movement of the yoke transversely ot the rail; the portions of said recess underlying said jaws being slightly less in'width than the thickness of the rail base when the device -is free of the rail, whereby it is necessary,

in applying said j aws to their operative position, to subject said yoke to a torsional strain.

32. A rail anchor comprising a yoke provided with jaws adapted to be moved into operative gripping engagement with the base liange'ot the rail at opposite sides of the rail by movement ot the anchor transversely of the rail; the portion ot the yoke intermediate the said jaws being provided with a normal torsional set whereby it is necessary to torsion the said yoke during its application to a rail and whereby one of said jaws is forced into spring gripping engagement with the rail base and the other or said jaws being forced into a combined wedging and spring shackle grip, with the opposite edge of the rail.

HARVEY M. GILLESPIE,

CERTIFICATE OF CGRREGTION.

:Patent No. 1,611,756, granted December 21, 1926.

tO HARVEY v, G'ILLESPIE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification. ef the above mentioned patent requiring Correction es ollows; Page 5, line 109, claim 11, strike out the Word opposite"; and that the said Lettere Patent ,should be reed with this oorreotion therein that the seme may conform to the rec ord 'of the ease ih the Patent Office.

Signed and. sealed this 15th dey oi February, A. D. 192'?.

William A, Kihnan,

Seal. Acting Commissioner of Pateie. 

